Fred has expressed his admiration for former Manchester United midfielder Anderson, describing him as a “really lively guy”.

Man United have an extremely limited history with Brazilian players but Anderson, along with the Da Silva twins, is without doubt the club’s most successful.

Many claim Anderson could have been better than he was at Old Trafford but that did not stop him from playing in two Champions League finals, scoring in a semi-final, and winning the Premier League four times.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Fred noted he was a big fan of the former United midfielder.

“I don’t know Rafael and Fabio, but Anderson is a really lively guy, a really cheerful guy,” he said.

“That’s what Brazilians are like – we’re always having a laugh, we’re always smiling, and my aim is to bring this spirit into the dressing room and onto the pitch, to play with a smile on my face. This helps for me settling in, and the football side of things too.”

“A team is not a team without a Brazilian,” Jose Mourinho noted ahead of the transfer window. He may have not received a new central defender but this wish was granted by Ed Woodward.

A Brazilian brings more than an extra pair of legs in midfield: he brings character, colour, a sense of panache and precision to the way he treats the ball, moving forward with pace and moving with rhythm.

Teams all over the world have at least one designated Brazilian. Juventus have Douglas Costa. Barcelona now have Arthur Melo – and Paulinho, I guess. Manchester City have Gabriel Jesus. Liverpool have Roberto Firmino. Paris Saint Germain, of course, have Neymar.

Fred, therefore, has a responsibility to live up to that goes beyond pure footballing terms.